Despite floods, at least 235 districts likely to face drought this year, says Met Department
Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have experienced rainfall deficits of 31% and 25%.
Even though there have been devastating floods in several states this year, the India Meteorological Department has said that nearly 235 districts across the country are likely experience drought in 2017 because of a monsoon deficit of at least 20%, The Times of India reported on Thursday.
The districts fall in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra. The deficit was 31% in Uttar Pradesh and 25% in Madhya Pradesh.
Meteorologists believe climate change could be behind the season’s erratic rainfall and flooding in the North East, West Bengal, Gujarat and Rajasthan in July and August, The Indian Express reported. The poor distribution of rainfall added to the deficit.
“While the situation in the North West is not likely to change too much, there are indications that Central India may get some rain in the next couple of weeks,” D Sivananda Pai, head of the India Meteorological Department’s long-range monsoon forecasts, told The Times of India. “Monsoon isn’t likely to start withdrawing in the next few days.”